AnnaAnimal: Took Brintellix 3 days, stopped, after 8 days symptoms are getting worse

[AnnaAnimal]

Hi! I have searched a lot of information about getting out of Brintellix, because what happened to me seems to be impossible. I had Sepram for 19 years, then changed it to Valdoxan and Venlafaxin in December 2020. Quit Venlafaxin May 2021, it took 4 months for the symptoms to go away. Now I take Valdoxan 37,5 mg a day.

 

I was prescribed Roaccutan medicine for acne and after 4 days, I just crashed mentally. It felt like someone close to me had died. I had unbelievable anxiety, something I had never felt before. The anxiety stopped immediately after 3 days when I stopped the drug. Before the symptoms were gone, my doctor thought that it would be good to change Valdoxan to Brintellix, because of my terrible anxiety (which was caused by Roaccutan, but didn't realize at this point). I would have done anything for it to stop, because it was literally unbearable, so I really wanted Brintellix to get some help. I started to take Brintellix 10mg immediately and after 3 days of taking the pill, I woke up early in the morning and thought I would suffocate to the anxiety. For days, I couldn't eat at all, and without Opamox couldn't function at all. I stopped Brintellix immediately and after 5-6 days, I started to feel a little bit better. Now as the days pass (now it's day 8), I am feeling worse and worse every day. The anxiety is starting again first thing in the morning and it's unbearable till I go to sleep. I have stopped eating again. I can't fall a sleep and it's difficult even with melatonin. I often start shaking in the middle of the day. My heart is beating like crazy all the time. I can't believe that after 3 pills, I am facing this. I am really afraid that this anxiety is never going to stop. It is really crushing me. I have kids to look after and I can't be off work all the time. Is there anyone else who has symptoms getting worse after they got easier or does anyone have symptoms though using a drug for just a few days?

 

Thank you!

Edited November 27, 2021 by Kiasofia
Updated info

[Kiasofia]

Welcome @AnnaAnimal

I am sorry you are going through this and are suffering, but relieved you have found us. To help us better advise you, can you please create a signature with all of the drugs that you are taking and have been taking in the last couple of years following these instructions:

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

You may be experiencing withdrawal from quitting some drugs and/or had an adverse reaction to new drugs. Did you stop taking Valdoxan when you started taking Brintellix?

 

About withdrawal:

What is withdrawal syndrome?

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Reaction from starting drugs:

Adverse reactions to an antidepressant within a few doses -- how long for recovery?

 

Unfortunately medical professionals have a poor understanding of how these drugs affect people. I found this post helpful to understand how these drugs actually work and why stopping and starting new drugs can go badly:

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

As we are recovering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. This is extremely important.

Keep it simple, slow and stable

 

As you experienced with Roaccutan, a brain that has gone on and off psychiatric drugs is sensitive and can react badly to new substances. Aside from a high quality fish oil and magnesium, be careful with supplements. Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and other mind altering substances can make the condition worse.

Important topics about tests, supplements, treatments, diet

 

Here is our symptoms and self care section, you may find some useful ideas to help manage symptoms as you recover. 

Symptoms and self care topics

 

This is your Introductory topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Kiasofia

[AnnaAnimal]

Hi @Kiasofia and thank you for your answer! 

 

I did not stop Valdoxan when started Brintellix, but decreased the dosage from 37,5mg to 25mg for the three days I took Brintellix. At the fourth day I took only Valdoxan 37,5mg again and continued only with that. (I checked the mg amount, which was mistakenly 75mg in the first post). 

I am also afraid to take Opamox (Oxazepam), because I am afraid that in the long run it will cause more problems. The other problem is that I can't function without it. Sometimes during the day I experience 1-2 hours of feeling a bit normal (like before Roaccutan and Brintellix). This is usually after the horrible morning anxiety has passed. Then I feel chest pain again, which increases gradually and I start shaking and the anxiety gets so bad, it's crippling me. It is really difficult to work and function. I can't eat, rest, move or concentrate. I have never had this bad anxiety for no reason. Only when someone close to me has died. 

 

I am afraid my system is so overwhelmed that I just have to suffer for months without any extra drugs. How easily one gets addicted to Oxazepam? At worst days I have taken 15mg 1/2 in the morning and 1 in the evening, but usually I just suffer and don't take them. I have been back to work for two days now and unfortunately it seems that I can't got through my work without them.

 

Thank you!

[Kiasofia]

On 11/26/2021 at 1:26 PM, AnnaAnimal said:

Got out of Valdoxan May 2021, it took 4 months for the symptoms to go away.

Do you mean Venlafaxin?

 

Please add to your signature:

The date you decreased valdoxan from 37,5mg to 25mg and the date you raised it back to 37,5mg

The date you started and stopped Brintellix and dose

The date you started and stopped Roaccutan

How often you take melatonin and dose

How often you take oxazepam and dose

 

How did you feel when you reduced valdoxan from 50mg to 37,5mg? This was before you started brintellix?

 

Since you lowered the dose of valdoxan at the same time as you started brintellix it is possible that you were experiencing withdrawal symptoms from that, rather than a reaction to Brintellix. Or both. When we make two changes at once it makes it harder to know what is going on. Anxiety is a very common withdrawal symptom. You felt better a few days after stopping Brintellix, but then also raised the dose of valdoxan at the same time. This may have helped ease withdrawal symptoms from valdoxan.

 

Reducing  valdoxan from 50mg to 37,5mg is a big cut. You may still be in withdrawal from that.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Kiasofia

[AnnaAnimal]

Hi!

 

Yes it was Venlafaxin that I got out of in May 2021 not Valdoxan. Always mix these up!

 

Originally I reduced Valdoxan 50mg to 37,5mg in one night in October and didn't experience anything. I have also forgotten to take the meds to a small trip of 2 days and didn't feel anything. So I doubt the reaction came from Valdoxan but of course it is possible it had an affect in all of this. I have been eating again Valdoxan 37,5 mg for nine days now after eating 25mg from 16 of November to 18 of November. 

 

My brain really got confused from the Roaccutan (Isotretinoin) so it is possible that it was a bad decision at that point to try to change Valdoxan to Brintellix.

 

Now I just have to wait for these horrific symptoms to go away.

I will do the corrections you suggested to my signature, thank you!

Edited November 27, 2021 by Kiasofia
Updated info

[Kiasofia]

5 hours ago, AnnaAnimal said:

bad decision at that point to try to change Valdoxan to Brintellix

Yes, and it is not always possible to just change medications. The brain adapts to the specific drug. When the dose is reduced or stopped withdrawal symptoms can come that the new drug cannot necessarily fix. By now you have gone on and off and up and down in doses so much that your central nervous system is sensitized. Starting and stopping psychiatric drugs is not good for the central nervous system (CNS). Each time we start and stop it becomes more and more sensitized. The risk of a bad reaction when quitting or starting another drug or supplement increases.

 

I would not recommend switching Valdoxan to something else. Valdoxan can be slowly tapered once you have stabilized. Starting a new drug is risky, as you have experienced. Please read the links I provided in the first post as well as this:

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

I hope you can find some comfort in being a part of this community and learning more about how to safely maneuver these drugs. There is a lot of knowledge and support to be found here.

 

Please stay in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Kiasofia
Updated info

[AnnaAnimal]

Sorry, I am currently eating Valdoxan 37,5mg. That reduction 16-18 Nov was me eating 25mg for three days. The dosage is correct in my signature. I can't even believe why I'm mixing numbers and drug names all the time. I'm sorry that it makes the posts hard to follow. I have noticed that sometimes when I speak I have really hard time to come up with a word for normal every day things. 

 

Thank you for your patience! 

 

About Valdoxan reduction, gladly I didn't follow doctor's orders. She adviced me to drop Valdoxan to 0 in one day and continue with Brintellix. I thought to my self that it would be a very bad idea, glad I didn't go through with that. 

[Kiasofia]

1 hour ago, AnnaAnimal said:

I thought to my self that it would be a very bad idea, glad I didn't go through with that. 

Yes! Most doctors unfortunately don't understand how these drugs work and how dangerous it can be to just quit.

 

1 hour ago, AnnaAnimal said:

Sorry, I am currently eating Valdoxan 37,5mg.

I see! It can be hard to get things right when you are unwell, so it's important that we spend some time making sure the drug signature is correct. That's the most important. I also edited your posts so it's correct there.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Kiasofia

[Altostrata]

Hello, @AnnaAnimal

 

You have a history of frequent drug changes since December 2020, including a severe adverse reaction to Isotretinoin and a switch from Valdoxan to Brintellix just 2 weeks ago, with another subsequent severe reaction (probably withdrawal from Valdoxan).

 

Did you mention any of this to your doctor?

 

On 11/26/2021 at 4:26 AM, AnnaAnimal said:

I stopped Brintellix immediately and after 5-6 days, I started to feel a little bit better. Now as the days pass (now it's day 8), I am feeling worse and worse every day. The anxiety is starting again first thing in the morning and it's unbearable till I go to sleep. I have stopped eating again. I can't fall a sleep and it's difficult even with melatonin.

 

When did you go back on Valdoxan? How did this affect your symptom pattern?

[AnnaAnimal]

Hi!

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

Luckily I didn't stop Valdoxan all togerher, just lowered the dose for 3 days (37,5mg -> 25mg). Though I understand that even that wasn't propably a good idea. 

 

When I went to the doctor in a first place, I (or she) didn't realize Isotretinoin was the cause. Later on I contacted the doctor who prescribed Isotretinoin and told her about the symptoms and she will call me next week. 

[Altostrata]

You're also taking oxazepam frequently? How often have you taken it in the last 2 weeks?

 

What times o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages?

[AnnaAnimal]

It's been a week now that I haven't taken oxazepam at all 🥳! I hate when I have to use it, so I'm happy I have been able to cope without it.

 

Valdoxan I take approximately 10pm every day.

 

I feel like my body is healing from Brintellix, though I am still a bit "on the edge". I have to fight many times during a day that I won't collapse, however the most terrible anxiety attacks are gone. If I happen to wake up at 4 or 5 am, the anxiety is there welcoming me to a new day and I can't continue sleeping. Before isotretinoin and brintellix messed everything up, I didn't experience morning anxiety like this. I am worried that it's here to stay. 

[Altostrata]

Was there ever a period where you took oxazepam every day?

 

3 hours ago, AnnaAnimal said:

Valdoxan I take approximately 10pm every day.

 

It's important to take your drugs at the same times each day. Even an hour one way or the other can cause bad symptoms.

 

3 hours ago, AnnaAnimal said:

I feel like my body is healing from Brintellix, though I am still a bit "on the edge". I have to fight many times during a day that I won't collapse, however the most terrible anxiety attacks are gone.

 

It's likely you had withdrawal from the switch to Valdoxan. You can get withdrawal from the first drug even if you're taking a second drug. Since this happened only 3 weeks ago, you are recovering normally from adverse drug events and withdrawal.

 

Early morning waking is very common in withdrawal, see

 

Waking with panic or anxiety -- managing the morning cortisol spike

 

Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Path to Better Sleep FREE online for everyone from the US Veterans Administration

 

Music for self-care: Calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

[Ariel]

@AnnaAnimal

Hello there,

Reading through your thread and wondering how you're doing. 

How are you feeling?

Healing wishes,

A.

[AnnaAnimal]

On 5/26/2022 at 8:11 PM, Ariel said:

@AnnaAnimal

Hello there,

Reading through your thread and wondering how you're doing. 

How are you feeling?

Healing wishes,

A.

Hi! Thanks for asking. Unfortunately my anxiety got so bad that I couldn't sleep, eat or work anymore. My heart raced like crazy all the time. I couldn't cope anymore and I have to think about my kids so I started Escitalopram. It helped really fast and I am doing good atm. It will take time before I will try to get rid of the medication again, have to stabilize my life before that.

[Ninabird]

@AnnaAnimal 

Hello! Glad to hear you are doing better. We are here for you if you need anything! Enjoy your summer! 
NB

[Altostrata]

@AnnaAnimal when did you start escitalopram, at what dosage? What happened after you started taking it again? Good to hear you're doing better.

[Ariel]

@AnnaAnimal

Sending warm wishes for peace and healing --

In solidarity and support <3

A.

[Ariel]

Hi @AnnaAnimal

 

Just re-posting your comment from the Windows and Waves topic here below, as it is relevant to your specific situation.

This way you will have the information all in one place. 

 

Also, could you please update your drug signature to reflect the escitalopram and your current medication regimen?

It's very helpful to other members such as myself. 

Thank you. 

 

Wishes of peace and healing,

in solidarity and support <3

A.

 

12 minutes ago, AnnaAnimal said:

I was in really bad shape after quitting Sepram, my situation worsened a lot as the months went on. At the end, I had really trouble sleeping, my heart was racing like crazy all the time and I started to wake up in the middle of the night to panic attacks. After about 7 months I started to take escitalopram again. After only a few weeks I had gotten my life back completely. I don't know if I will dare to stop taking the drugs when, or ever again :(.